The premise of the device is simple - to provide users with a quick, and convenient way to capture incoming thoughts in real-time. Particularly, in a non-intrusive, and non-distracting manner. Instead of reaching for one's phone and finding oneself suddenly spiraling down a rabbit hole on X (formerly Twitter) or Tik-Tok, the initial thought or idea long forgotten on the way to opening a notes app or recording app, one would simply lift the Stream Ring, press a finger onto the pressure pad on the side, and speak. 

Sandbar touts the ability to whisper to the ring, even in crowded places surrounded by other people going about their day, say, a bus, or a train. This feature in particular would afford users the ability to use the ring comfortably in scenarios where they may otherwise feel much less comfortable using something that requires clear, loud speech, such as speaking into their phones to run ideas or ask questions of Gemini or Siri.

Notes are recorded on the Stream App, running off of user's smart phones. The ring does not record audio. Instead, it transcribes spoken word into writing, much the way LLMs do in conversational modes. There is also a desktop interface for accessing notes. Thankfully, the Stream Ring offers more than just a convenient and expensive way to record your thoughts. The ring will have media control capabilities, allowing users to play or pause music by tapping it once, double tap to skip forward on a playlist, and swipe for volume control. But perhaps most intriguing feature will be the conversational aspect of the ring's software. 

Talking to yourself. 

This is where things get interesting. Amidst the rise of complaints of AI psychosis from users after prolonged conversations with AI such as ChatGPT, the Stream Ring will include the ability to conversate with it's built-in AI. However, in keeping with the company's desire not to exacerbate the increasingly complicated human-AI relationship paradigm, Stream Ring will default to using an "Inner Voice",  a feature that personalizes the voice of your ring based on your own voice. The idea is that you are not talking to a friend, or an interesting stranger, you are talking to yourself - working through thoughts, problems, or ideas as though holding an interactive inner monologue. The voice will be powered by Eleven Labs, and there will be other options for users who prefer not to listen to the sound of their own voices. 

The ring will utilize a mix of on-device processing, processing on user's phones, and on the cloud in order to provide these features. It's AI appears to be comprised of a mixture of several popular large language models. Sandbar states that the ring will have "All-day battery life", and is USB-C chargeable, coming with a svelte ring charger to fit the ring into.